


Buried Sun

by sebastianathefirst



Series: Fire at the Heart of the World [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Gen, indulgence writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2015-12-12
Packaged: 2018-05-06 05:50:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5405369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sebastianathefirst/pseuds/sebastianathefirst
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nobody expected Riku to become the first Keyblade Master. But knowing her, perhaps it was fate. There are people who need him, too. </p><p>A reprieve before the new journey.</p><p>[set at the end of Dream Drop Distance]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Buried Sun

"Really?" Riku blinked. "I'm...a Keyblade Master?"

His eyes settled immediately upon her face, the ghost of her smile. Her true smile. He swore he could almost see it. A shift of Sora's weight against his indicated that he noticed as well.

"That means..." Sora's voice caught in his throat. "Riku, you can..."

Master Yen Sid waved a hand, and she—with quivering shoulders—took a step forward with a ruffle of her skirts.

Mickey strode across the room, and raised his arm to her. His eyes were a mix of sadness and relief and other emotions neither Sora and Riku could discern. With a sway of her hair, she bent down, forcing another smile as she permitted the king to encase her hand in his.

What inkling of envy Sora had for Riku's success flashed an instant before fading. Riku, already half-choking, felt his heart being squeezed further. Their oldest friend had readily offered her affection, fake but _not_ , to the king, yet couldn't look them in the eye for five seconds.

They had just been to Destiny Islands, even if it was in a dream.

"Congratulations, Riku," Mickey finally said, turning to him. She blinked once, as if in silent agreement.

"It is as I have said," Yen Sid nodded, almost languidly. Riku could feel his Adam's apple bobbing just as so. "Unlocking the Sleeping Keyholes will bestow upon you the power to unlock a sleeping heart. One bearing such stands with us now."

Lea, leaning against the opposite wall, flinched on instinct.

With what all saw was a reluctant slip from Mickey's grasp, the girl rose again, rolling her shoulders back. 

Riku couldn't stop himself.

"Hono?"

Her name was never unfamiliar to his lips, but he barely knew the person before him. Her eyes didn't glow as before; they were nearly as dark as her hair.

Nevertheless, she froze.

"Do you want this?"

Sora made a sound beside him, and they exchanged looks before explaining, "The last thing I want to do is hurt you again. It seems...that's all I've ever done to you."

"——!" Everyone held their breath as she poised to react, but there came only more ruffling as she, _Hono_ , straightened herself.

"Man, I can't watch this." Lea brought a hand over his eyes. That was why her voice rang even clearer to him, a minute later.

"I want to be myself again."

Hono's hands shook at her sides. Her stomach was so wound up she could barely breathe. But she felt everyone's gaze on her. "I want to smile for the king, for the queen, and everyone who cared for me. I want to tell my father that I love him, and mean it. I want to be with Kairi, become _family_ with Kairi. I want to be there for Sora when he cries—" she took note of Sora's squawk, and faintly observed how she _missed_ it, before facing Riku.

His eyes were too brilliant for her to stare directly. "I want Riku to know that none of my pain is his fault, and that I could never hate him. I want to be with you all."

 _To stay, with you,_ she wished silently, as Riku aimed his Keyblade at her chest. _Forever._

The light tingled as it passed through her body, gradually warming her nape and her back, and lulling her eyes shut. She fell forward into strong arms, soothing warmth. Only days before, these arms had clung so fiercely to her, afraid to let go.

But this time, Sora was careful.

* * *

Riku felt an immense weight on his shoulders. No wonder Sora was eager to have that tea party. Or perhaps it was because Sora himself was breathing down his back, looking over his kneeling frame to watch Hono's sleeping figure.

Her hair was splayed all over the pillows, her cheeks were flush, and her lips slightly ajar. They haven't seen her sleep in years, not since she snuggled beside them in the yard of the mayor's house, only to disappear the morning after.

"Even though her heart isn't completely restored, I've never seen her sleep so easy," Mickey spoke beside them. "Hopefully the nightmares wouldn't be too bad."

Sora turned to Mickey, yet found himself unable to ask what kind of dreams Hono had to endure on her own. He's not sure he can stomach that knowledge. All he _could_ do, as Donald repeatedly reminded him, was become a Keyblade Master, and unlock what remains.

Riku simply slid his hand over Hono's, lacing their fingers together. He'd touched her, too, when she first emerged from the sea with Mickey's letter, and the faint connection he'd sensed then had grown stronger since.

"But ya know?" Mickey swished his tail in enthusiasm. "She's gonna wake up closer than ever to the people she cherishes the most. She's gonna be alright."

As if proving his point, Hono's palm curled against Riku's, and the corner of her lip subtly pulled upward.

The three of them smiled back.

For once, they were certain that they were moving in the right direction.

**Author's Note:**

> Stories with original characters can be off-putting, so thanks for reading all the way here. I do hope I get to hear what you all think of Hono soon!
> 
> I'm posting the series in _reverse order_ , and kept things purposely vague, so there's no pressure to understand everything right away. Hope you can stick around for the next ones!


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